Love Budding in the Shadows
by Ketchupwings
Summary: Set post-Blood of Olympus. Nico is settling into life at Camp Half-Blood after the war against Gaia. He knows it's stupid, but he can't help it - a certain son of Apollo catches his eye.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! I don't know if you guys have read _Blood of Olympus_, but that's what inspired this story :) Enjoy!**

Nico had known from the start that cleaning up the mess Gaia left behind her wasn't going to be easy.

Two months on, though, he was really beginning to appreciate the scars that Gaia had left. Monsters and demons all over the world were still actively terrorizing demigods and even mortals; more and more patrols were being sent out to capture and kill them. Various volcanoes showed signs of increased activity as a result of the aftermath and, frankly, the ghosts were getting to be a bit of a nuisance.

It wasn't all bad news, though. The minor gods and goddesses who had chosen the Earth Mother's side had made peace with Olympus. Reconstruction of Camp Half-Blood was well under way by now. And of course, Camp Jupiter had evaded damage of any sort; besides, of course, the damage it had sustained when eidolon-possessed Leo had accidentally fired on the city.

Nico inhaled and breathed in the crisp air. Winter was fast approaching, and the weather was turning chilly fast. He stood on the top of Half-Blood Hill, looking out on the mortal world, next to Thalia's pine tree. Since the war, the Golden Fleece had been returned to its rightful place, and as he looked at it now, it seemed to glimmer with late afternoon sunshine.

Turning around, he gazed at Camp Half-Blood. Reconstruction was well ahead of schedule. He could see the earth healing already. Eventually, it would look as if nothing had happened here.

"And it'll be soon, too," Nico murmured to himself as he trudged down the hill and into camp.

He made his way through the camp to the infirmary.

The rebuilding of the camp was going well. The craters in the earth were almost gone now, and what little damage remained was looking great thanks to the Demeter kids and their magic. In the woods, the dryads were dancing and laughing for the first time in what felt like forever. And, of course, there were a lot of shrines being built. It seemed, even after the Titan War, the Olympians had only fulfilled their promise to the most major of the minor gods and goddesses. As Nico watched, Jason emerged from the Big House, where he'd probably been discussing plans with Chiron. His glasses twinkled in the sunshine as he walked away from the Big House, his brow furrowed in thought as he examined a blueprint held out in front of him.

As Nico approached, he looked up and grinned. "Hey."

"What've you got there?" Nico inquired.

"A blueprint for a shrine."

"Another shrine?"

Jason crinkled his nose. "Yeah. A shrine to Kymopoleia."

"Who?"

Jason sighed. "Daughter of Neptune – I mean, Poseidon. Goddess of violent sea storms. One of the minor gods who never got the recognition she was promised by the Olympians. Percy and I met her on the way to Athens. It wasn't pretty."

Nico nodded, knowing better than to ask Jason to elaborate. "I'm on my way to the infirmary."

Jason frowned. "Again? You're spending a lot of time there these days."

"Yeah, well, the Apollo kids need help running it."

Jason grinned. "Well, I'd best be on my way, then."

Nico watched him head off, once more engrossed in the blueprint. Jason was one of the few demigods who hadn't judged him for being a son of Hades. Even when Cupid had forced Nico to divulge his most painful secret, Jason had kept it and constantly offered support, friendship and love. And then, after the war ended, he'd asked Nico to stay on at Camp Half-Blood. Jason was a decent guy.

The war had taught Nico a lot of things, Nico realized as he walked on. It had taught him to appreciate the people around him who were offering to help him and love him. And demigods never knew when the people they loved would be killed, so every moment had to be cherished.

As he stepped into the infirmary, Nico was hit by the now-familiar scent of fresh medicinal herbs. He inhaled it and sighed.

Gathered around a table in the front of the infirmary was a group of demigods wearing purple shirts with SPQR tattoos emblazoned on their arms. The free exchange programme between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter was unfurling rapidly and with great success. Greek and Roman demigods crossed the country to each other's camps, usually in groups of ten or more, to learn each other's fighting techniques. Already, the camps were sending out joint quests to hunt down particularly troublesome monsters, and there were rumours that Chiron and the praetors at Camp Jupiter were planning some sort of joint disco night sometime soon.

These particular Romans, though, were currently learning about Greek medical formulas, and judging from their expressions it was probably a compulsory part of the trip which they otherwise would've avoided. But Nico wasn't really interested in the Romans.

Will Solace was lecturing them on the importance of catnip. His shaggy blond hair caught the afternoon sun as it streamed in through a nearby window. It was clear that he truly cared about what he was teaching: his face was alight with passion as he described the recovery process.

When Will finally managed to catch sight of Nico standing by the door, he packed up and said, "I think that's all for today, guys." With barely concealed relief, the Romans filed out of the infirmary, probably off to do combat exercise with the Ares kids. Nico almost pitied them.

Will headed Nico's way. "Somehow, I don't think that was the highlight of their day."

Nico laughed. "I came to rescue you from boredom."

Will grinned happily. Since the end of the war, Nico and Will had grown close. They hung out a lot – not always, but a lot, starting from that first dinner after the end of the war, when Will took pity on Nico sitting alone at the Hades table. Defying the rules, he'd taken his tray and sat down right next to Nico, ignoring how the other campers had stared. And from there, they'd just gotten to be very close friends.

The two of them walked out and went to sit on the bottom slopes of Half-Blood Hill. The sunlight used to make Nico uncomfortable, but not anymore. Again, it was another sign of how much he'd changed during the course of the war against Gaia. A few months ago, he would never have sat with someone on a hill.

_I guess I'm more trusting now_, he thought to himself.

"Did you ever think we would lose the war?" Will asked as the two of them relaxed.

Nico blinked. "That was random."

Will laughed. "No, it's just – I don't know. I was pretty sure we'd lose."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I mean, Gaia resurrected all the giants. She turned all those monsters loose, and then the Romans showed up – I guess I couldn't believe we were fighting the Earth Mother herself."

Nico was quiet. He could understand that. The prospects had seemed bleak and hopeless on more than one occasion. Angrily, he shredded a tuft of grass. Stupid gods. Why did they need mortals to fight their battles for them? Two wars in two consecutive years…

"If there's another war next year, I may just strangle Zeus," Nico said out loud.

Will laughed.

They fell silent, and then Will turned to Nico.

"I'm thinking of heading into the city sometime next week. I don't know, it might be nice to have a look and see how mortals live. I'll probably end up living in the mortal world anyway." He cocked his head. "Care to join me?"

Nico's pulse sped up despite himself, and he managed to say casually, "Sure, why not? Sounds like fun."

"Okay, awesome." Will grinned, and stood up, brushing off his pants. "I'd better head back to the infirmary. If I'm not there, the Hermes kids will probably seize their opportunity to ransack the place."

Nico watched as Will headed off. His heart was still hammering in his chest. What was this feeling inside him?

Oh, right. The exact same feeling he'd once felt towards Percy Jackson. And that had turned out so well, hadn't it?

Shaking his head, Nico scowled and stood up too. _You're being stupid_, he told himself as he headed back to the Hades cabin.

**Please leave me a few reviews! I'm intending this to be short, about seven or eight chapters, but depending on the response I get it might be lengthened :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thanks for the lovely response! Here's the next chapter:**

Dawn the next day saw the campers of Camp Half-Blood gathered at the foot of Half-Blood Hill. One of the last to leave his cabin, Nico went to join the other head counselors at the front of the crowd.

Percy and Annabeth were, of course, standing next to each other. Looking at them, Nico didn't even feel a twinge of pain. It was odd. A welcome relief, of course, but odd all the same. As Nico watched, Annabeth smiled at something Percy said and slipped her hand into his.

On their other side stood Jason, Piper and Leo. Nico grinned as he remembered Leo's return after one month of silence: tanned, hollering and riding Festus. The campers had rushed out to greet him, and no sooner had Leo set foot on the ground than Jason and Piper engulfed him in enormous bear hugs, sobbing and yelling.

Next to Leo stood a quiet, demure-looking, caramel-haired girl. A lot of campers had been less than welcoming when Leo brought Calypso with him; she may have been beautiful and all, but hey, she was still the daughter of a Titan. Eventually, though, the campers had warmed up to her sweet, caring and kind-hearted personality. There was no cabin at Camp Half-Blood for the children of Titans, so Calypso was currently residing at the Big House. She wasn't technically a head counsellor, but Nico didn't think anyone would begrudge Leo the pleasure of having his girlfriend stand next to him – from where he was standing, it was obvious the two were very much in love, from the way their bodies were angled towards each other and how Leo whispered in her ear every now and then.

And of course, standing with the other head counsellors, there was Will.

Nico walked right up behind him and said, "Boo!"

Will didn't scare easy, so all he did was raise his eyebrows. "That the best you can do, di Angelo?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Grinning, Nico made as if to raise skeletons from the ground. Will laughed.

"That wasn't a challenge," he began, but he was interrupted by Percy's voice.

"Everybody, be quiet! They're coming."

There was a moment of silence. Then, a yellow blob hurtled down the road towards Half-Blood Hill at breakneck speed and screeched to a stop under the pine tree with a sound that made Nico's hair stand on end. It was a New York City taxicab. As the campers watched, the back door opened and ejected three people: Reyna, Hazel and Frank. All three were green in the face and trying not to throw up.

"Thank you for choosing the Grey Sisters!" came a shrill voice from inside the cab. "We look forward to serving you again!"

The cab door swung shut and the taxi peeled away, shooting back the way it had come, towards New York.

Frank groaned. "Never again."

"No," Hazel agreed. That was all they had time to say before they were swamped in hugs from Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper and Leo.

Nico didn't go forward to greet the visitors from New Rome. He may have changed a lot, but not that much – he still wasn't much of a hugging type. But he still felt a surge in affection when he saw Reyna's eyes land on him and brighten with delight.

Reyna came forward, away from the hugging demigods of the Prophecy of Seven. "Hey!" she laughed, punching Nico's arm playfully. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Nico grinned back. He had missed Reyna – they'd kept in contact through Iris messages, but nothing beat seeing her in person. "Reyna, this is Will Solace, son of Apollo."

"Good to meet you." Reyna shook Will's hand.

"Outside of the battlefield, I assume you mean?" Will asked.

Reyna laughed. "Of course."

Then, the crowd of campers parted, and Reyna stepped back to join Hazel and Frank. Chiron stepped forward.

"Welcome, Romans," he said grandly, "on this, the first official inter-camp visit. We, the Greeks, welcome you with open arms."

Reyna looked up at Chiron. "Thank you, Chiron," she said. "It's an honour to be here. I look forward to exploring this camp thoroughly."

Chiron dipped his head, and with that, the last remaining vestiges of formality dissolved. The campers crowded around the Romans, until Leo held up his hands.

"Okay, okay, let's give them some space," he ordered. "They just crossed the country to see us."

Hazel came forward, her eyes twinkling. "Nico!"

Brother and sister embraced, and Nico pulled back. "I hope you'll be joining me in the Hades cabin."

Hazel laughed. "Of course, dummy! Where else would I go?"

Nico hadn't realized how much he'd been hoping for this response until he got it.

**~~Page Break~~**

That night in the dinner pavilion, life was swell. As praetors, Reyna and Frank had been given the tour of Camp Half-Blood, but that was just a formality – they knew it pretty darn well by now, having fought a battle to save the world from itself here.

For once, Nico had a sibling to sit with at the Hades table. Will had decided not to sit with them today. Nico figured he probably thought Nico would want some alone time with his sister. Which was true, kinda, but Nico couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed nevertheless.

Afterwards, the campers had gathered round the campfire to sing silly songs. Reyna, sitting on Nico's right, had seemed very uncomfortable singing any sort of song whatsoever, but Hazel, on Nico's left, had been completely at ease, laughing and leaning on Frank and cheering at the end of every song. If Nico hadn't known better, he would've thought she was drunk.

The day had been amazing, and now the demigods were in bed. Reyna had no cabin to sleep in, because her mother, Bellona, had no Greek equivalent, but Annabeth had invited her to sleep in the Athena cabin because 1) Athena and Bellona were both war goddesses, and 2) Annabeth and Reyna were tight.

Nico lay awake in the Hades cabin. Hazel, of course, had drawn a curtain around her side of the cabin, but Nico could still hear her soft snores and knew she was asleep.

Quietly, so as not to wake her, Nico got to his feet, slipped on a pair of sandals and tiptoed out of the cabin.

Outside, the weather was cool and breezy. Nico put his hands in his pockets and strolled down to the lakeside, and plopped down on the wooden jetty. Removing his sandals, he let his feet touch the water.

There was a giggle, and Nico looked up. He saw Percy and Annabeth standing close by, at the edge of the woods. Annabeth was leaning against a tree, her boyfriend hovering over her. They hadn't seen him – Annabeth was laughing at something Percy had said. She pulled him in close and kissed him.

Nico didn't even grimace. He was long, long over his crush on Percy, and they were good friends now. Nico hadn't elaborated on his crush after admitting it to Percy, and he hadn't been pushed. Just the fact that Percy accepted him and was happy to go on being friends with him was enough for Nico.

All the same, watching the two of them whisper and laugh and kiss, Nico couldn't help but feel pangs of loneliness – the same pangs that touched the heart of every single teenager on the planet when watching a happy couple. He couldn't help but want someone in his life to hold him close and kiss him and whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

_I think we all know who that someone is_, a very irritating voice whispered in the recesses of Nico's brain.

Nico grunted and, in doing so, inadvertently revealed his presence to Percy and Annabeth. They swung round. Percy's face broke out in an awkward grin.

"Hey, Nico!"

Nico waved his hand in greeting.

Percy and Annabeth wandered over. "What're you doing out of bed?" Percy inquired.

Nico raised an eyebrow jokingly. "I might ask you the same thing, if it wasn't perfectly obvious."

Annabeth laughed as Percy turned red. "You seem really contemplative," she noted.

Nico got up and stretched. "Ey, well, I needed a moment to think, and I like sitting by the lake."

"Okay." Percy, as always, seemed unconcerned. "You know if there's anything you want to talk about, we're here for you, right?" He drew Annabeth closer as he spoke.

"I know. Appreciate the offer, but…" Nico shrugged. "Ah, well. You probably wouldn't be interested anyway."

"We're here for you," Annabeth repeated as Nico headed back up to the Hades cabin.

It wasn't that Nico didn't want to admit it – it was just that he didn't know how. Heck, he'd barely admitted it to himself. Shaking his head, he pushed on, back towards his cabin. He couldn't waste time thinking about crushes. Hazel and Reyna were only going to be here a few days, and he intended to enjoy every single day with them.

He couldn't waste time thinking about Will.

**Reviews please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry for the break, but I'm back now:**

The next few days passed very quickly for Nico.

It was so good to have Hazel back, even if she was only staying for a little while. Nico had almost forgotten what it was like to have a sister. He found time to be with her every single day, and they'd talk and laugh and just have fun in general.

One day, the two of them were sitting under the Athena Parthenos when Hazel opened up to Nico.

"The legion is still trying to recover," she confessed, her voice breaking. "Octavian did some pretty bad damage while we were away. He planted some nasty seeds in the minds of a lot of demigods. Frank and Reyna are doing their best to undo the damage, but – I don't know. Octavian still has supporters in the legion. Sometimes it feels like the Twelfth Fulminata will never be united again."

Nico listened carefully. He knew it wouldn't be easy for Hazel to admit that they weren't doing so well, and well nigh impossible for Reyna to confess that running the last Roman legion in the world was a burden.

"Come here," he ordered when she was done. She obliged, and seemed surprised when he kissed her forehead.

"The Twelfth Fulminata has survived for centuries and centuries," he reminded her. "When the Roman Empire broke up, who continued Rome's legacy? The demigods of the legion. Just as the demigods here at Camp Half-Blood continued the legacy of Greece. What Octavian did was bad, but there's no way one pathetic augur can unravel so much history and culture in such a short time. So keep your head up, and this will pass."

Hazel nodded and offered a watery smile. "Easier said than done," she responded, trying for a laugh.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the fall sunshine.

"So, how's life here?" Hazel asked quietly.

Nico hesitated. Long enough for Hazel's eyes to narrow.

"What is it, Nico? Come on, don't just retreat into that shell again. I thought we were over that."

Nico considered making everything up, but gave up once Hazel prodded him again.

"I'm having some - personal - problems," he managed.

"What is it? Is someone giving you trouble because you're a son of Pluto? What is it?" Hazel sounded fiercely protective, and Nico felt a surge of warmth inside him.

"Son of Hades, actually, at this camp. And no, that's not it, for once." He sighed and put his head in his hands. "It's - a guy."

"Oh." Hazel's fierce demeanour vanished, and now she looked curious. "Do I know this guy?"

Nico nodded.

"It's Will Solace, isn't it?"

Nico looked at her in astonishment. "Am I that easy to read?"

Hazel laughed. "Nah, it's just that you're my brother. I have a knack for reading you."

"Well, okay then. It's complicated."

"No, it's not. Do you like him or not? Like, _like_ like him."

Hazel's 1940s straightforwardness never failed to surprise Nico, despite the fact that he himself came from the 1940s too. "I don't know," he admitted.

Hazel regarded Nico levelly. "And what does that mean?"

"It means my feelings are difficult to interpret and changing by the day. It means my eyes are constantly drifting towards him, I'm sweaty around him when I don't want to be, and that I'm paying more attention to the way I act when I'm around him. It means I'm - "

"It means you like him," Hazel interrupted. "I know exactly what you're talking about, Nico. I know because I've been through it myself, with Frank. And I can assure you, these are surefire signs of like-liking someone."

Nico had had no idea what to expect in his first session of discussing crushes with his sister, but he certainly hadn't expected Hazel to sort his feelings out for him. Not that he found that a bad thing - in some ways, things were clearer. And then of course, in some ways they most certainly were not.

Until he'd said them out loud, Nico had had no idea how much attention he'd been paying to Will, or how he'd been acting around Will. It was a shock, for sure.

That night, by the campfire, Nico watched Will. He laughed and he sang and he even danced a little. But Nico didn't realize what he was waiting for until Will sat down next to him.

"We're still taking that trip to New York together, right?"

Nico managed a nod, and Will grinned. "Awesome! There's so much to do and see - "

Nico didn't even hear what Will had to say, he was too busy watching Will's mouth move. It was strange how fascinating it was. He watched and laughed as Will laughed, and another evening with Will sped by in a blur.

That night, in the Hades cabin, Nico and Hazel discussed the issue again.

"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" Hazel asked.

Nico stared. "Are you kidding? I don't know if you've noticed, but these feelings aren't exactly - conventional."

"So?" Hazel shrugged. "We're demigods. Nothing is conventional."

Nico bit his lip.

"Oh." Hazel suddenly got it. "Oh, I see."

There was no need to explain - Hazel already knew. Already knew that Nico, who had had such strong feelings for Percy for so long, was afraid to have his heart broken. Again. That Nico was afraid of being alone. Again. That Nico would be rejected and ridiculed, and forced to flee and wander the mortal world and the Underworld, alone. Again.

"Everything will turn out fine if you're just honest," Hazel urged Nico.

Nico laughed. "That hasn't been my experience."

Still, the thought of honesty intrigued Nico as he fell asleep that night. But that would just be too simple now, wouldn't it?

**I was thinking of making this only seven or eight chapters, but after doing some thinking and having some brainwaves I've decided to expand this story. Do you guys approve? Let me know in the reviews! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone!**

Hazel hugged Nico. "Take care of yourself," she said.

Nico grinned as she stepped back. "Don't worry, I will," he promised. "Be sure to visit soon?"

Hazel grinned. "I won't need to," she winked, and then leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "Don't tell anyone – it's still a plan in progress – but Frank and Reyna are organizing the first disco for both camps with Chiron. It should take place sometime in the next month or so." She stood back.

"Seriously?" Nico couldn't believe it – he was actually excited about something. "When? Where? Here or Camp Jupiter?"

Hazel put a finger to her lips. "Don't know," she mouthed, and then turned and walked up the hill to where Frank and Reyna were waiting for her, next to a black SUV parked next to Thalia's pine tree.

"Iris-message me!" Nico called as she got in the SUV.

Hazel shot him one last nod and waved, and then the car doors closed. Reyna got behind the wheel, beeped twice, and then the SUV pulled away from Half-Blood Hill, heading towards New York. The three of them would take a plane from JFK International Airport back to San Francisco.

Nico watched after them for a while, and then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey." It was Will. "You'll see her again real soon, you know."

"Yeah," Nico grinned. "That's true." Will had a knack for making Nico's melancholy go away.

"Anyway." The son of Apollo tapped his nose mysteriously. "We still on for heading into the city?"

Nico hadn't forgotten – the idea of going anywhere with Will, just the two of them, was thrilling. "Absolutely. When?"

"If all goes well, the day after tomorrow. What do you say?"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

Will raised an eyebrow, impressed with Nico's enthusiasm. "Hold your horses, son of Hades. We still need to get our stuff together – get our weapons and stuff in order, in case we get attacked or anything, you know?"

"You're in good hands," Nico promised. "Did I mention I can raise skeletons out of the ground?"

Will laughed, and Nico's heart went _ka-thump_. "Sure, man. Okay."

**~~ Page Break ~~**

"Okay, let's go."

Jason watched as Nico and Will got into one of Camp Half-Blood's many pickup trucks, with Will at the wheel. His forehead was creased in worry. "I don't know, guys. Two demigods alone outside of the camps, in one of the biggest cities in the world? There's still a lot of monster activity after the war with Gaia. Did you guys hear about the rogue Cyclops in Moscow who – "

"Jason," Nico said, "appreciate the concern, but we're heading to New York, not Moscow. And haven't you got some more shrines to plan?"

Jason glanced down at his notes. "Well, Kym's shrine is done, so next we've got Boreas to worry about and – hey!"

Nico and Will had peeled away and were shooting toward the city.

Manhattan amazed Nico. He'd been here before, of course – this was where the final showdown against Kronos had occurred – but now it was normal and bustling, not enchanted and churning with demigods, monsters and Titans as the mortals slept in their cars.

He and Will parked the pickup truck and went to explore the city.

"I can't remember the last time I was here, besides the Titan War," Will remarked.

"You hardly ever leave Camp Half-Blood, do you?"

Will shook his head sorrowfully.

"Then you're in for a treat. Nico here is going to show you the town."

And he did. They went to Rockefeller Centre and watched and laughed as baffled foreign tourists tried to find their way around the city. They visited Times Square and stared at the flashing neon billboards – not that they could make much sense of them, being dyslexic demigods. The afternoon found them sitting in Central Park, enjoying the sunshine.

"The sunshine's so weak," Nico complained. "Isn't there anything you can do about it, son of Apollo?" He looked up hopefully.

"What kind of almighty demigod do you take me for?" Will muttered, and Nico laughed.

The fast-approaching winter meant that New York had turned very chilly, and the sun was setting. Soon, they'd have to leave and get going – night time was party time for monsters, especially monsters with demigod scent in their nostrils.

"I can't believe the war has been over for months," Nico breathed. "Makes you appreciate what you have, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." With a start, Nico realized Will was looking right at him. There was an unfamiliar twinkle in his eyes that Nico hadn't noticed there before.

Suddenly, Will was leaning in. Nico couldn't breathe, couldn't move, there was nothing to do but stare as Will got closer and closer, and then suddenly he was pushing away, scrambling backwards and panting.

Will sat back, looking confused. "What – "

"Don't." Nico's voice was very small. "Please."

The confusion in Will's eyes started turning to hurt. "But every time I tested it, you seemed to feel the same way I did – "

"I – "

"What's wrong, Nico?"

Nico paused. "I don't know how I feel."

There was silence, and then Will's voice grew harder. "You don't know how you feel?"

"I don't think of you as just a friend anymore," Nico whispered. "But I can't do this."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll leave me!" Nico blurted out. "There's no way you could like me. You're one of the most popular kids at camp, son of Apollo, funny, silly, and so, so cute; and I'm me. Son of Hades. Everyone thinks I'm a freak."

"This again!" Will threw his hands up in frustration. "Nico, when will you accept that nobody feels that way about you anymore? You've earned everyone's trust, and anybody who isn't an idiot knows that the fact that Hades is your father doesn't matter."

"Still." Nico's voice trembled. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but he forced himself to say it anyway. "I can't accept that you like me. I'm just not ready to be hurt again."

"So you're too scared of rejection to open yourself up to me. And you expect me to hurt you in the end."

When Nico didn't answer, Will stood up. His expression, joking and open just a few minutes before, was now cool and distant. "It's getting dark. We'd best head back to the pickup truck."

All Nico could do was follow.

**I've spent some time mapping out roughly where I want this story to go, and I think I have some idea by now :) For now, leave me some reviews!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! Who's ready for the next chapter :P**

The ride back to camp was long and silent. Each time Nico dared to steal a glance at Will, the son of Apollo was staring ahead, stony-faced, as he drove.

When they arrived at Half-Blood Hill, Will hopped out of the pickup truck and tossed Nico the keys. Then he headed to the infirmary without another word.

The next few days were slow and sluggish for Nico. He spent most of his time in his cabin, brooding. When he did leave his cabin, it wasn't to socialize, but rather only because he had to (e.g. at dinner).

On the few occasions when he did see Will, Will avoided eye contact. Nico couldn't blame him. He hadn't treated Will very well, to say the very least. To make things worse, his feelings were getting into even more of a mess. If anything, he was even more confused. He had no idea how he felt, one way or the other. His feelings for Will were at war with his fear of rejection, battling every day.

Only one thing was clear, and that was that he missed Will's company.

He felt a pang every time he cast a glance Will's way. Even when Chiron officially announced the first inter-camp joint disco night, to be held at Camp Jupiter, Nico failed to even try to appear happy alongside the others as they cheered and hollered. He just retreated to the Hades cabin, as he always did.

The night before the demigods of Camp Half-Blood were due to depart for California, Nico couldn't bear it anymore. Late at night, he took a flashlight and hopped out of bed, closing the cabin door behind him.

Stealing quickly across the camp, he managed to reach the Zeus cabin unseen and knocked.

Jason answered, bleary-eyed and with tousled hair. "Nico? What're you doing? The patrol harpies might see you!"

"Then let me in, silly," said Nico. Standing back, Jason let Nico into the cabin and shut the door.

The Zeus cabin was filled with golden eagle statues, not unlike the giant eagles used over at Camp Jupiter. There was one big, intimidating statue of the sky god as well. Jason went and sat on his bed awkwardly.

"What's up?" he ventured.

Nico hesitated as he sat down on the bed opposite Jason's. He didn't fully know why he'd come to Jason. He could've just Iris-messaged Hazel. The truth was, though, part of him wanted Jason to know about his troubles. Jason had kept his secret even after he'd found out in Croatia. He'd proven himself to be trustworthy, and a good friend to Nico where there had been so few.

"I want to talk," Nico said.

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"

Nico spilled: his unclear feelings for Will, what Hazel had advised him to do and what had happened in Manhattan. When he was done, Jason shook his head.

"You should've just told Will the truth," he said. "You care about him. Deeply. And Will deserves to know."

"I know," Nico whispered. "But it's not so easy. What if he leaves me? I'm a son of Hades. No one wants to stay around me long. I don't want him to leave – I can't go through another few years of heartbreak and bitterness the way I did after Percy rejected me."

Jason made a sound of sympathy, and moved to Nico's side. He seemed hesitant, but for once, Nico didn't protest as he put an arm around Nico. It wasn't romantic at all, purely comforting and platonic.

"Every time you express your feelings for someone," he said, "there's going to be that risk that you're going to be rejected. You're going to have to deal with that. But as for what happens after you're rejected – whether or not you stay bitter for a few years – well, that's up to you. You can make it good, or you can make it bad. The way I see it, there's no point in remaining bitter over something you can't change."

Nico looked at Jason. The son of Jupiter seemed to have gained wisdom overnight.

"Tell Will about your feelings. But if he rejects you – which I have a sneaking suspicion he won't – it won't be the end of the world, trust me."

Nico looked down at his knees, and Jason's eyes narrowed. "Is there more?"

Barely audibly, Nico murmured, "Yes."

"Then tell me."

Still looking at his knees, Nico whispered, "I – I haven't really come to terms with – my sexuality yet."

"Dude, there's nothing wrong with it. It's just who you are."

"And, it's not exactly a conventional relationship. I'm worried that – if we were to go through with it – we would face repercussions from…you know." Nico gestured to the ceiling. Jason looked up, and comprehension dawned on his face.

"Oh." Nico watched as he tried to process that thought. Then, somehow, he straightened up again.

"Well," he said, "we're demigods, right?"

Nico nodded.

"Our lives are pretty much decreed by the gods anyway. Go on this quest. Defeat the Titans. Defeat the Earth Mother. Everything we do has something to do with the gods. But we can't let them define everything about us. At the end of the day, we're still mortal. And if we start letting them interfere in our love lives, well…" Jason shrugged. "What are we then?"

Nico thought about what Jason had said. "Thanks, Jason. That really helped."

"No problem." Jason withdrew his arm. "Bros before h – "

"Don't finish that sentence."

Jason laughed.

"Seriously, thank you," Nico said. With a conscious and probably visible effort, he forced out the last syllable: "_Bro_."

Jason grinned. "Anytime," he said.

Nico did give what Jason had said a lot of thought. That night, in the Hades cabin, and the next day, when they departed for California. There was a lot to think about.

**Reviews please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the short absence, but I'm back now :)**

The Greeks arrived to a very warm welcome at Camp Jupiter. There had been a quick, formal ceremony with the praetors and Senate as they welcomed the Greeks to their camp, and then they had been declared free to explore New Rome. The city had a lot of inns and guesthouses where they could stay, so a lot of Camp Half-Blood campers had immediately headed off to secure accommodation.

Nico knew Camp Jupiter, and he was in no hurry. So he strolled to the top of Temple Hill, where he could overlook the entire camp and city.

He watched the Greeks explore New Rome and admire the statues of the Roman gods scattered throughout the city. He saw Jason taking Piper to all his favourite parts, and watched Percy and Annabeth enjoy some brownies together at an outdoor café. But he was looking for a shaggy blond head in particular. He cast his eyes across the streets, but he couldn't find Will.

_Maybe he's already at some inn_, he thought, but that didn't stop his heart from sinking.

"Hi."

Nico turned to find Reyna at his side. The Roman praetor smiled as she, too, turned her gaze over her beloved city.

"It's a recovering city," she said. "The war did take its toll. We still haven't found a new augur – we're looking to the children of Apollo, but it doesn't look like we'll have any volunteers, after what happened to Octavian."

"There's always Ella," Nico offered. Reyna smiled again, and the two of them were silent for a few moments.

"You look troubled," Reyna said at last.

"When do I not?" Nico responded.

"Good point," Reyna conceded. "Do you want to – discuss – anything?"

Nico heard the hesitation in her voice. Reyna was like him in a lot of ways – she was not a talking person. She preferred to shoulder whatever unbearable burden she had in silence. And yet here she was, offering to listen to Nico.

So, again, Nico found himself telling Reyna everything, while at the same time marvelling at himself: _First Hazel, then Jason, now Reyna. Nico di Angelo, you're turning into a real people person_.

When he finished, he sat and watched Reyna apprehensively. Was she going to give him more of the same advice that Jason had given him?

Instead, Reyna just regarded him levelly. "It's not my place to tell you where to go from here," she said. "I'm no daughter of Venus – I can't tell you what love is. But from what I gather, you already know what to do next."

Nico took a deep breath and nodded. "I talk to him."

"That's your decision." Reyna smiled.

Nico remembered that Reyna had never yet found love, and he took her hand. "It'll happen," he promised her. "And you've got a lot of friends in the meantime."

The praetor seemed startled that he'd read her, and then relaxed. "I'll keep that in mind," she said softly.

**~~Page Break~~**

The Romans really knew how to party.

Nico stepped into the Senate House in New Rome. He'd been here many times as the ambassador of Pluto, but he didn't recognize it anymore. A disco ball hung from the ceiling cast strobe lights, illuminating dancing demigods. _Aurae_ blew through the crowds, offering drinks to Greeks and Romans alike as everyone danced under the flashing ceiling. Techno music blared – not really Nico's style, but it certainly seemed to make most of the half-bloods here happy.

Jason and Piper danced together, near the centre of the crowd. Jason's glasses glinted in the strobe lights as Piper put her arms around his neck and they swayed together. Not too far away from them, Percy and Annabeth were dancing too. Percy was holding Annabeth from behind. His eyes went wide as she suddenly ground her butt against his hips, then responded with a playful growl as they continued to dance, but somehow with more – energy – than before.

Nico shook his head, smiling. Who would've thought the daughter of Athena would have it in her to dance like that? Somewhere, the wisdom goddess was probably gasping in disapproval.

His smile faded as he looked around the Senate House. He had to be here somewhere…

There. Nico's eyes zeroed in on a blond head bobbing half-heartedly near the edge of the crowd. Will stood there, a cup containing some soft drink in his hand, looking pretty unenthusiastic. Occasionally, a Roman girl would make her way over to him, but he'd shake his head politely, and she'd shrug and disappear back into the crowd.

Nico wound through the sweaty, cheering crowd of demigods. When he reached Will's side, he tapped the son of Apollo's wrist.

Will turned, and saw Nico. He tried to move away, but Nico grabbed his arm.

"Hear me out," Nico said. "Please."

For a moment, Will didn't move. Then, he sighed and turned to face Nico.

"Thank you," Nico breathed. "First of all – I'm sorry."

"You are?" Will sounded unimpressed.

"Yeah." Nico bit his lip – apologizing was new to him. "I'm really sorry for everything. The truth is, Will, I _do_ like you that way."

Will remained expressionless, but Nico thought he saw a flicker of some emotion in his eyes. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. And I'm sorry it took me so long to come out and say it." Nico gritted his teeth – he'd prepared himself for this. "I really, really like you, Will," he said. "And I want to be with you."

"You'd better be sure of that." Will still sounded emotionless.

"I am," Nico insisted. "What you saw in Central Park – that was me being insecure. I've been hurt by too many people, too many things. I've spent years feeling sorry for myself and angry at the world. So when you came, promising to accept me for who I am and like me anyway – it seemed too good to be true."

Will waited.

"I guess you could say I have trust issues," Nico continued. "But that's something I want to work on. Something I want to work on with you next to me. I – I want to learn to trust again. And I want you to teach me."

Will regarded Nico passively, and then finally the dam broke, and a smile broke out on his face, as brilliant as the sun. "Son of Hades," he said, "there's nobody I'd rather teach."

He moved in, and this time Nico didn't move away as their lips met in an electric moment. The techno music and all the demigods went away, and it was just Nico and Will, kissing.

Will pulled away, and Nico put a mouth to his lips, stunned.

"That was your first kiss, wasn't it?" Will asked.

Nico nodded mutely.

"I guessed as much." Will offered his hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"But the dance – "

"There will be other dances. Come on. Let's bail."

Nico took Will's hand, and they walked out of the Senate House together.

**Reviews please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Sorry for my absence, I've been busy :3**

The Greeks stayed at Camp Jupiter for a few days after the dance. Nico took the opportunity to show Will his favourite spots.

They went all over New Rome. Nico showed Will the best cafés in the city to have hot chocolate, the best vantage points where the entire camp could be seen, even where he'd lived as ambassador of Pluto, before the war with Gaia had begun. They saw the Garden of Bacchus, and Will visited the shrines to his father (who, conveniently, was called Apollo by both the Greeks and the Romans).

Now that they were out and proud, Will didn't hesitate to take Nico's hand. The first time he'd done it, Nico had started and whipped his hand away. But, at the look in Will's eyes, he'd hesitated and then gingerly put it back. Will had grinned then, as brilliantly as the sun chariot his father drove across the sky, and it was all worth it.

While the Greeks were in town, there was always a party going on somewhere in the city, but Nico and Will only went to a few of them. What they did do, though, was spend every waking moment together.

"I never thought my first date would be in New Rome," Nico mused one day.

It was the day before the Greeks were scheduled to go home, and there was one last big party planned for that night. Nico and Will intended to go, but right now they were sitting at an outdoor café, enjoying some coffee.

"Neither did I." Will sipped his coffee. "Of course, I haven't known about the existence of New Rome for quite as long as you have, but I agree – I never thought I'd have my first date anywhere but Camp Half-Blood, to be honest."

"Hmm." Nico nodded. "Yeah, it's not really something that springs to mind when you're a demigod – where your first date will be, I mean."

"Yup, too focused on monsters," Will agreed.

"And Titans."

"And evil primordial earth goddesses who seek to destroy all civilization."

"Yeah, and that."

Both of them laughed, and Will took Nico's hand. Nico still couldn't get used to that.

"Homos."

Nico turned around. A small group of Romans were staring at their interlinked hands and sniggering. Judging from how they were wearing _probatio _tablets, they were probably new recruits into the legion.

"What?" Will asked mildly.

"Homos," said the same Roman who'd spoken before. He had messy red hair, a tall and muscular build and a permanent smirk on his face – but not the adorable kind, the annoying kind. He seemed to be the ringleader.

"A son of Apollo," continued the Roman, "and a son of Pluto. Now, even if you were normal people, it wouldn't be very smart to start dating. Apollo and Pluto are as different as day and night."

His cronies sniggered again.

"But then again, you're not normal, are you?" the Roman sneered, gesturing at them. "You're homos."

Nico turned around, gritting his teeth. There were so many things he could do to these guys. He could turn them into ghosts, have the earth claim them, raise a few skeleton warriors from the ground and have them hack these kids to death. He didn't feel tempted enough though.

Will had grown very stiff and silent. Nico glanced over. The son of Apollo was glaring at the Romans.

"You know what I don't like?" he announced. "Dicks."

"Yeah you do," the red-headed Roman countered. "You're a homo."

"I was referring to you," Will said, standing up. "You're a bunch of sick-headed losers. If you were to come and fight me instead – that'd be a different story, wouldn't it?"

The Romans sneered. "You're not worth it."

"Too chicken? Not surprised. Didn't expect very much from the children of Aphrodite."

There was a cold silence, and then the red-headed Roman said, "My mother is Venus." He'd lost his sneer. Nico noticed that the other customers of the café were beginning to turn around with interest.

"Greek, Roman, what does it matter?" Will replied. "You may the child of a love goddess, but nobody's going to want to love you."

A vein began pulsing in the Roman's neck.

"Gangly legs, no muscles, and a bad case of acne," Will noted. "Well, the acne suits you, at least. Your face is as red as a heart, son of love." He blew a kiss.

The son of Venus roared and charged at Will. Too easily, Will sidestepped, and the Roman went barrelling into the street. To his credit, he recovered quickly, and charged at Will again. Will seized him by his shoulders and flipped him over. Nico watched admiringly as his muscles rippled under his shirt and the Roman went flying. He slammed down against the cobblestones of the street. He tried to get up, but lay back down again, groaning.

"Did I mention?" Will added sweetly. "I've fought in the Titan War. I fought Kronos myself. You're a joke."

The street was full of stunned spectators, and as Nico watched some of them began to take action. He stood up, tossed a few denarii onto the table and took Will's arm.

"We better go before we get into trouble," he said under his breath.

Quickly, the two of them ran off as a crowd started gathering around the son of Venus.

**I wanted something a bit funny haha did you like it? Reviews please**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry for the break, but I'm back now :D**

Nico breathed the crisp, cold air. It was good to be home.

There'd been quite a few tearful goodbyes when the Greeks had left Camp Jupiter, with demigods on both sides pledging to keep in contact. Hazel had hugged Will for the first time and given him a kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Will wondered aloud as Hazel laughed.

"Nothing," she grinned, but she winked at Nico.

Nico had told Reyna about the homophobic son of Venus, and she'd shaken her head and sighed.

"You'd think that he of all people would know that love is love," she said. "I'll have a word with him."

Nico thanked her, and surprised her (and himself) with a hug. He'd missed Reyna over the past few months, and he was sorry to be leaving.

But it was always good to return to Camp Half-Blood. Nico watched as the campers unloaded their bags from the various modes of transport they'd taken to get home (bus, van, pegasus, etc).

"Hey."

Nico turned and Will smiled at him. Nico grinned back.

"Tonight's Capture the Flag," Will said softly. "For the first time in ages."

Nico thought about it – Will was right. Since the end of the war, they'd been busy rebuilding the camp and accommodating new demigods. They simply hadn't had time to play Capture the Flag.

"D'you think we'll be on the same team?" Nico wondered.

"I don't know," Will smirked. "We'll see."

As it turned out, they weren't on the same team. Chiron placed the campers in the usual two teams. Nico was given the responsibility of guarding his team's flag. As his teammates vanished into the trees, Nico stood watch over the flag.

He heard shrieks and hollers coming from somewhere to his right. That must be where the battle was. He shook his head. He'd had enough battles for a lifetime. He was perfectly happy to be taking a more passive role.

As he listened and waited, though, a bush rustled. He swung around, his sword at the ready.

Nothing. As he'd expected.

He resumed his watch over the flag, conscious of every sound, every movement.

All of a sudden, a demigod burst from the line of trees. Nico recognized him vaguely as a new recruit, the son of a minor god or goddess, perhaps Hebe. He charged for the flag. Nico easily stepped in front of him and with a wave of his sword disarmed him.

"Don't rush out of the trees like that," he advised the attacker. "It doesn't often work."

"That's why he was just a distraction," came another voice.

Nico whirled around, and of course, it was Will. And of course, he was striding straight for the flag.

Nico leaped and placed himself between the flag and Will. "Don't even try it," he warned the new recruit, who was starting to make a move for the flag. "Game rules. You should be in jail now."

Only then did Nico become aware that he and Will were no longer alone. Campers were emerging from the trees, watching the showdown between Nico and Will. Out of the corner of his eye, Nico spotted Jason, his eyebrows raised as he waited to see what would happen.

"You're not taking our flag," Nico told Will.

Will smiled, and quick as light drew his sword. Nico's was already out and waiting.

The first metallic clash rang out as the swords clanged against each other. Nico and Will sparred. Nico could tell Will was trying to push towards the flag, so he feinted sideways. Will whirled to face him, but Nico stuck out his foot and swept Will's feet out from under him. The son of Apollo fell, his sword clattering to one side. Nico flipped over and sat on his chest, keeping him pinned to the ground with his sword pointed at Will's throat.

"What did I tell you?" he grinned.

Will looked up at him, an expression in his eyes Nico couldn't decipher. "Gods, you're sexy," he whispered.

Nico stared at him, his brain trying to process that. He'd never been called _sexy_ before. He knew some people saw him as weird, an outsider, never really belonging – but never sexy.

Before he could say or do anything, Will sat up, brushing aside Nico's sword (which had gone limp in Nico's hands anyway), and kissed him full on the mouth.

For a moment, all Nico could think about was that campers were watching them. They were kissing in front of everyone. What followed was surprising: he realized he didn't care what they thought. He responded, kissing Will back.

_Will_, he thought giddily. _Always Will_.

As they broke apart, Nico became aware of a strange noise. He had to take a moment and look around before he realized that it was applause.

The campers of Camp Half-Blood were clapping and cheering. They had delighted grins on their faces. The Aphrodite cabin in particular seemed especially excited – probably because of love and all that.

Nico caught Jason's eye. He was applauding and whooping just as loudly as everyone else. He winked at Nico and gave him a big thumbs-up. Next to him, Percy waved and cheered.

Nico looked back down at Will, who was grinning. "Care to help me up?" he asked cheekily.

Scrambling up, Nico gave Will his hand, and then Will put his arm around Nico and kissed his cheek. "I'm hungry," he announced. "Who wants dinner?"

The campers cheered even more loudly. Nico laughed and wrapped his arm around Will as they headed off to the dinner pavilion for what promised to be one of the best evenings of his life.

**Leave me some reviews, won't you? **


	9. Chapter 9

"Ready to go?" Will called to Nico.

Nico flung his bag onto the back of the pickup truck, then hesitated and turned. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Will shrugged. "A couple days in New York. Why not?"

"I don't know – what if we're needed here at Camp Half-Blood?"

"Hey." Will's eyes softened. "We're not at war anymore. We can enjoy ourselves a bit. And it's Christmas – or rather, Christmas Eve. Let's go!"

Nico shifted uncomfortably. Will had invited him to spend Christmas with him in New York City with his mother, and he'd said yes immediately. But he'd been on edge for so long, thanks to going it alone – there'd been the Titan War and then the war against Gaia, and he'd had to look after himself through it all. In peacetime, it was difficult to imagine that he could relax.

"Okay, I'm being silly," he sighed. "Let's go!" He grinned at Will, who beamed back.

They hopped into the truck. Will hopped behind the driver's seat. There were still a few weeks to go before his 16th birthday, so technically he shouldn't be driving. But Will was pretty tall, and he was pretty well built. He definitely looked at least 16. Besides, he was a demigod. Driving safely was the least of his worries.

Nico sat back as Will started the car and switched on the radio. He loved Christmas music. He loved sitting in a car without having to worry about monster attacks. He loved the way Will's muscled shoulders moved under his orange T-shirt.

Nico could be shallow once in a while, couldn't he?

"Let's go," he said again as the truck pulled away from Half-Blood Hill.

**~~Page Break~~**

"Come in," Mrs. Solace greeted them as she opened the door wide. "It's so good to meet you, Nico!"

"It's good to meet you too, Mrs. Solace," Nico smiled politely. As he stepped in, he felt hesitant. How much had Will told his mother? Did she know the nature of their relationship?

"Oh, don't call me that," Mrs. Solace scolded. "I can't allow my son's boyfriend to call me Mrs. Solace. Call me Andrea."

Nico felt himself turning bright red as Andrea went into the kitchen. "Would you like some cookies?" she called.

"Yes, please," Nico called back.

The three of them sat and chatted at Will's dining table. Nico couldn't help but glance around the Brooklyn apartment where Will had grown up. It wasn't very large, but it had a wonderful, family, cosy atmosphere that Nico had never known. Nico tried to imagine a little Will here, learning to walk, coming home from school, doing homework – being summoned to Camp Half-Blood.

"I was just so worried about you," Andrea gushed, pinching Will's cheek. "Fighting a war against the Earth Mother! That's my boy!"

Will squirmed uncomfortably. "Mom," he complained. "Not now, maybe?"

"Oh, sorry, dear. Of course you're right." Andrea winked at Nico. "Not in front of your boyfriend."

"Oh, gods, Mom." Will stood up as Nico began laughing. "We're going to head into Manhattan, okay?"

Nico and Will got dressed and bundled up – it was unusually cold in New York this year. They headed out and into the Subway, and stood for about twenty minutes crammed up between sweaty New Yorkers. Nico found himself gasping for breath by the time they emerged above ground again, now in Manhattan.

"Welcome to Fifth Avenue," Will said as Nico looked around. "You haven't been here properly, have you?"

"Not really," Nico admitted as he looked around. Last time he'd been on Fifth Avenue, it had been in total chaos – demigods, Hunters, Underworld zombies and Kronos' monsters locked in battle and mortals fleeing every which way in panic. Now, of course, the city had recovered from the damage, and Fifth Avenue was decked out with Christmas decorations. Wreaths and tinsel hung from the building façades and Christmas lights snaked underneath the windows, casting a jolly glow on the street. Traffic rushed past, seeming even busier than usual, and shoppers strolled up and down, grins stretching from ear to ear. There was a real sense of festive holiday cheer in the air, and Nico found himself smiling as he drank it all in.

The two of them strolled down the avenue. A born and bred New Yorker, Will had sworn to show Nico the city, and Fifth Avenue was a great place to start. As they strolled, they eventually reached Rockefeller Centre. The famous Rockefeller Christmas tree, its lights starting to come on with the sunset, stood sentry over the skaters below, slipping and sliding and laughing.

"I've never been skating before," Nico admitted.

Will's eyes widened. "You haven't?"

Nico shook his head. Next thing he knew, Will had grabbed his hand and was hauling him through the crowds of surprised New Yorkers.

"What're you doing?"

"Bringing to you a New York holiday tradition," Will grinned. "We're going skating on the Rockefeller Centre Rink."

They rented skates using the mortal money Will's mother had given them and then made their way onto the ice.

"Watch me first," Will told Nico, clinging to the side of the rink. He swept off, and Nico watched as he made a circle. He looked like a nymph of the ice, swirling gracefully between skaters, moving silently and almost unseen between them, making it seem as natural as breathing.

"Your turn," he called to Nico.

Nico hesitantly let go of the railing and began to make his way towards Will.

Suddenly, a skating child slammed into Nico's side. Nico wobbled and began to topple, bracing himself mentally for the impact.

Strong arms were suddenly around him, and Nico looked up as Will held him steady. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned eyes looking into Nico's. Nico felt a warm glow begin to fill him at the thought of Will holding him, and he smiled shyly.

"I am," he responded.

"Come on." Will took Nico's hands in both his own and began to lead him across the ice. "It's simple. Step, push – step, push – you can do it."

It took some time, but Nico was soon steady on the ice by himself. That, of course, didn't stop Will from holding his hands anyway as they skated together through the rink.

"Look!" cried one of the mortals, a hand pointed upwards. Nico tensed, wondering what could be descending from above. But it wasn't some sort of winged monster. Instead, it was –

"Snow," said Nico with wonder, holding out a hand to catch snowflakes.

Will smiled at him. "_I'm dreaming of a white Christmas_," he sang, deliberately badly, in Nico's ear. Nico laughed at the feeling of his hot breath against his ear. "_Just like the ones I used to know_…"

He suddenly let go of Nico, and Nico almost stumbled. Will was skating forward, and suddenly leaped into the air, landing back on the ice with a graceful pirouette and circling back towards Nico. "_Where the treetops glisten / And children listen / To hear sleigh bells on the snow_," he continued, taking Nico's hands again and leading him forward. Nico laughed again, and skated forward eagerly. Christmas carols were not his forte, but he loved listening to Will sing joyfully, putting on a deep voice.

"_I'm dreaming of a white Christmas / With every Christmas card I write_," Will warbled as they circled the rink. "_May your days be merry and bright / And may all your Christmases be white_." He suddenly came to a halt, and held both of Nico's hands in his.

Nico watched as Will brought both of Nico's hands to his mouth and kissed them softly, letting his lips touch each finger, each knuckle. "Merry Christmas, Nico di Angelo," he whispered.

Nico's mouth didn't seem to work at first, but with a massive effort he stuttered, "Merry Christmas, Will Solace."

Will grinned, and leaned in, and then they were kissing. Nico drowned in Will's kiss, and mortals all around were whooping and cheering and applauding. But he didn't care about that. For once, he didn't feel like a son of Hades, hated and mistrusted. He was just Nico, and Will was just Will, and they were kissing.

And that was all that mattered.


	10. Chapter 10

**I hoped you all enjoyed the Christmas special - it seemed only fitting that I follow it up with a New Year's special.**

There was a knock at Nico's door.

"Come in," Nico called.

Will sauntered in. It was their last night in New York before they were due to return to Camp Half-Blood, and Nico was in the midst of packing. Incidentally, it was also New Year's Eve. And very close to midnight.

"December 31," Will said softly, slowly walking towards Nico. "There's something magical about that date, don't you think?"

Nico grinned at him as he came to a halt at the edge of Nico's bed. "What do you mean?"

Will had been clasping his hands behind his back, but now he brought them forward.

"A guitar?" Nico laughed. "Since when do you play guitar?"

"My father is the god of music, you know," Will said in an injured tone. "Don't act so surprised."

Perching on the edge of the bed, he began to strum a familiar melody.

"Oh, gods."

"What?" Will grinned. "The holiday season isn't over yet. It's still appropriate." He held out his hand. "Won't you join me in a little holiday festivity?"

Nico came and sat beside Will. The melody and strumming began again, and Nico, for the first time in his entire life, opened his mouth to sing.

"_I really can't stay_," he sang.

"_But baby, it's cold outside_," Will countered.

"_I really can't stay / But baby, it's cold outside  
>I've got to go away  But baby it's cold outside  
>This evening has been  So happy that you dropped in  
>So very nice  I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice _

_My mother will start to worry / Beautiful, what's your hurry  
>My father will be pacing the floor  Listen to the fireplace roar  
>So really, I'd better scurry  Beautiful, please don't hurry  
>Well maybe just a half a drink more  Put some records on while I pour_"

Nico broke off with a chuckle, and Will looked at him quizzically. "What is it?"

"Just the thought of my father pacing the floor of his Underworld palace."

Will stared, then began to laugh as well. "You'd better watch out, Lord Hades," he growled playfully, wiggling his eyebrows. "You have no idea what plans I've got for your son."

Nico shook his head, still laughing, and then waved his hand. "Continue," he beseeched the son of Apollo. Obediently, Will began strumming again.

"_The neighbours might think / But baby, it's bad out there  
>Say, what's in this drink  No cabs to be had out there  
>I wish I knew how  Your eyes look like starlight now  
>To break this spell  I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell _

_I ought to say no, no, no sir / Mind if I move in closer  
>At least I'm going to say that I tried  What's the sense in hurting my pride  
>I really can't stay  Baby don't hold out  
>Ah, but it's cold outside<em>"

The singing and the tune faded as Nico and Will both realized they were sitting very close to each other.

Outside the window, New York shone and glittered and dazzled the world with its neon lights, counting down to the New Year. As the midnight hour approached, the Times Square ball began to drop, and gathered at the crossroads of the world, the crowds began to shout.

"10…9…8…7…"

In Will's apartment, Nico and Will heard their cries. Will raised an eyebrow. "Well, what do you know?" he said softly. "New year, new beginnings."

"6…5…4…"

"I wonder what it'll bring?" Nico mused. "Not another war, I hope."

Will chuckled. "I should hope not. I want some time to spend with my boyfriend."

"3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Times Square came alive with light, music, cheers and confetti as the crowds went crazy ringing in the New Year. Across the East Coast, families hugged each other and wished each other the best in the coming year.

In a certain New York apartment, two demigod boys sat facing each other in silence.

The side of Will's mouth quirked up in a small smirk. "Happy New Year, Nico di Angelo," he murmured.

"Happy New Year, Will Solace," Nico responded.

Their lips met, and they slid sideways, Will hovering over Nico, who placed his arms around Will's neck. It didn't matter that this was a position Nico had never been in before, all that mattered was that Will come closer, _closer_…

Will broke off the heated kiss with a nervous laugh. "That was a great way to start the New Year."

Nico laughed, and drew him down again, his hands spreading against the warmth of Will's chest.

And yet again, he forgot that he was the son of Hades. It didn't matter.

Will was all that mattered.

**I love this song, and it's technically still the holiday season...right? Reviews please! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! **

January was always the coldest month of the year. And Nico was no stranger to the cold.

Still, though, as he and Will left New York City and drove home in the Camp Half-Blood pickup truck, he shivered. "It's especially cold today," he ground out through chattering teeth. "Should've worn an overcoat like yours."

Will looked over at him. His left hand was on the steering wheel, his right casually draped around Nico's shoulders. "Really? I don't feel it," he remarked. "Do you need some extra warmth?"

Nico shook his head. "I think I'm fine."

"Pity," Will said as they turned the corner in the road. "Because I can think of all sorts of ways to keep warm, if you know what I mean." He wiggled his eyebrows at Nico, then laughed as Nico swatted his shoulder.

"Pervert."

Will's laughter died down and they lapsed into comfortable silence.

They sped on, the sky darkening as it turned to night. Soon, the sun had set and Will switched on the headlights. Will's mother had persuaded them to stay for lunch, and so they'd ended up leaving a few hours later than planned. And Camp Half-Blood was on the other side of Long Island from Manhattan. But a long drive at night didn't really matter to Nico. It just meant more alone time with Will.

They were on a two-lane road, and there weren't any other cars about. On both sides of the road was the forest. In the darkness, Nico could only see the black silhouettes of the bare branches of trees against the sky, like spindly, ghostly fingers reaching desperately for light. It might seem spooky to ordinary people, but Nico was a son of Hades.

"Is driving scary?" he asked.

Will frowned. "Not really. I'm not of age yet, but I've done a lot of things that are a hell of a lot scarier than driving."

"Must seem remarkably ordinary."

Will chuckled. "Nico, nothing in our lives is ordinary – "

He was cut off suddenly as the truck skidded. The arm around Nico's shoulders was suddenly gone, and Will had both hands on the steering wheel. Nico clung on to the seat as Will spun the wheel desperately.

"What's going on?" he gasped.

"Black ice!" Will's eyes were wide with panic as he desperately sought to keep the car on the road. "There wasn't supposed to be any!"

"What do we do?" Nico's heart began to pound.

"Hold on!" Will slammed on the brakes, but the truck continued sliding forward. The entire vehicle began to spin in circles, and Nico was conscious only of the seat, the ceiling, the suddenly suffocating air. He hit his head on the window and then the ceiling and was flung back down onto the seat.

"The wheels!" It was clear that the wheels were scrabbling to find purchase on the icy road.

"We're going in!" Will shouted, and in the dim light provided by the winking headlights Nico saw what he meant. There was a ditch at the side of the road, and they were headed right for it.

The truck crashed into the ditch.

Nico's head swam with dizzying jolts of pain all over his body as he picked himself up from the front of the truck. He put a hand to his forehead, and felt a bump swelling up there.

"Will?" he got out.

Will was picking himself up too. "Are you okay?" he asked in a gravelly voice.

"I'm fine."

Of course, the engine chose that moment to die. Will swore, and thumped the wheel.

"I have to get out."

Nico watched numbly at first as Will got out and slammed the door, then scrambled to join him as he opened the front of the car to stare at disbelief at the engine.

"It's frozen. Of course it's frozen." Will thumped the engine, too, and leaned against the lid of the front. "Gods, what do we do now?"

Nico looked up and down – there were no coming cars. And they were in the middle of nowhere. "How far are we from Camp Half-Blood?"

"Still an hour by car." Will shook his head. "Quick, we have to get back in."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to freeze if we don't."

They climbed back into the truck. Already, the cold was seeping in. Nico shivered and clutched his jacket closer to him. His teeth began to chatter as the temperature began to drop inside the truck.

"Hey, come here." Will put his arms around Nico, and Nico turned his face into the warmth of Will's chest.

"Stop shivering," Will whispered. "Don't be cold. Be warm against me."

"We should c-c-call s-someone," Nico chattered. With numb, fumbling fingers, he pulled out Will's cell phone from the other boy's back pocket.

"It's not a good idea for demigods to use cell phones," Will said warily, "and we're in a vulnerable position…"

"This is an emergency." With difficulty, Nico managed to dial the number that had been drilled into the head of every camper at Camp Half-Blood. "C-C-Chiron? It's m-me, Nico d-di Angelo. Will and I are st-stuck on the road-d, and it's very c-cold..."

He handed the phone to Will, who explained to Chiron where they were and then hung up. "He's on his way," he assured Nico, slipping his phone back into his back pocket, before wrapping himself around Nico again.

"Will – I'm so cold." It was true, which startled Nico. He'd thought he was used to being cold, having lived among the ghosts of the Underworld. But he couldn't remember the last time he'd been cold like this, like every vein, artery, organ in his body was turning numb, turning to ice. It was a strangely – human – feeling.

"Nico, your lips are turning blue." There was a note of alarm in Will's voice now.

"A-are they? N-not surprising. I feel awful." Nico tried for a laugh, but it came out as just another shiver.

"No." Will's voice was suddenly firm. "No, you're not going to catch hypothermia or whatever it is you're about to catch. You're going to stay with me, and you're going to be warm, Nico, don't worry."

He pulled away from Nico for a moment, and Nico whimpered momentarily. Will shrugged off the large overcoat he was wearing, and with a swift motion yanked off his T-shirt underneath as well.

"What are you d-doing?" With alarm, Nico reached for Will, but he just shook his head and shrugged his coat back on over a bare chest, before coming to embrace Nico again.

"Body warmth. Less layers between us – believe me, it works." Will gently coaxed Nico as they slid sideways. Nico was soon lying on his back, Will hovering over him. The sides of the overcoat hung down on either side of Nico so that he was enveloped as if in a cocoon.

Nico felt Will's bare skin against him, and wondered at how he was a veritable furnace, exuding heat. His hands traced the contours of Will's chest, feeling his biceps and how they differed from the flat, hard muscles of his stomach. Will let him explore, his eyes filled with a tenderness that made Nico's heart pound.

"How are you so w-warm? It's f-freezing in here…"

Will chuckled softly. "I'm the son of the sun god," he reminded Nico. "I'm naturally hot."

Even through his cold stupor, Nico managed to laugh. Then, with effort, he spoke again: "K-k-kiss me."

Will arched an elegant eyebrow, then leaned down. His warm lips met Nico's cold ones, and they kissed.

Will broke it off, panting slightly. "Gods, Nico," he whispered. He began touching feather-light kisses to Nico's forehead, cheeks, hair. He stopped at Nico's neck and began to nibble it. Nico felt his hot breath against his neck and gasped.

"Nico…" Will's voice caressed the name, and Nico shivered, but not from the cold.

Nico didn't know how long they stayed like that, but gradually he became dimly aware of approaching headlights. The truck door was yanked open, and Will was pried from him. He reached feebly for Will.

"Severe hypothermia…"

"Got to get him back to camp…"

"Nico!" That was Will's voice. "No, get away from him, dammit, I'll carry him!"

Arms went around him, and Nico was lifted from the truck and into the open air. He would've gasped at the cold if he could, but the reality was that he couldn't.

He was suddenly aware of being laid down in a much warmer place. Voices were all around him, warm hands, and heat. Nico felt himself begin to slip away into unconsciousness.

"Nico…"

Will's voice was the last thing he heard before he slid into the darkness.

**Reviews please!**


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